Tragic Tom dies during wedding speech

Tributes pour in for 'legend' Tom

A proud father died after collapsing during a speech at his daughter’s wedding.

Tom Small was entertaining guests with “a belter” of an address when he suffered a major heart attack.

The 58-year-old was rushed to Portree Hospital from the reception at Skeabost Country House on the Isle of Skye, but he couldn’t be saved.

Tom, from Locharbriggs, was in the middle of his speech when he told his family he didn’t feel very well before collapsing on the floor.

Devastated daughter Dianne, 33, said: “There’s comfort in the fact that he was surrounded by those who loved him and he was doing what he did best; spinning a yarn and making everyone laugh.”

Dianne, who went to Dumfries College, said her “legend” of a dad was a massive Queen of the South fan and was delighted to see the Doonhamers were beating rivals Dumbarton moments before he collapsed last Saturday.

She added: “Shortly before his speech I’d just been telling him off for looking at his phone under the table.

“He was checking the Queens score and was delighted they were two up against Dumbarton.

“He had taken mum, my husband Matt and I to Palmerston the week before for the Falkirk game and had joked that if I wanted to call off the wedding he could still get a space on the Doonhamers Travel Club bus to Dumbarton!”

Tom, a retired Scottish Gas manager, was also a hugely popular member of the Tartan Army and was nicknamed the “Battlebus Commander” for his work in organising travel to away fixtures.

Dianne added: “He was a top bloke, a legend in fact. My mum Doreen, sister Linda and I will miss him more than I can express in words.”

Hundreds of tributes were paid on Tartan Army message boards as fellow supporters shared stories about Tom and his away day antics.

Tom’s funeral, which will be held on Friday at 2pm at Mortonhall Crematorium in Edinburgh, will be a “complete tartan affair”.

A wake will then be held at the Radical Road pub in Willowbrae Road.

Dianne added: “The dress code is quite relaxed as far as funerals go.

“He requested a ‘complete
tartan affair’ in his will so most will be in kilts and Scotland tops; a suit
with a tartan tie would also be appropriate.”

Kevin Donnelly, who first travelled with Tom to Minsk in 1997, has made pin badges to sell on the day with money going to Chest, Heart and
Stroke Scotland.

Kevin said: “He would always try and get a rise out of me by saying ‘Two for £1, hats, scarves and macaroon bars’ when I was selling pin badges at games –
that was just his way of saying hello to me.

“So I thought it would be a nice touch to make a badge for Tom with the money going to charity.”